Custom Colt Commander built by D&B Co. Tulsa

[HiredHand]

D&B was located at 18th and Boston downtown.
In the seventies there were very few gunsmiths advertising in the phonebook
several part timers operating out of their houses.
In 1975 there was basically
D&B 18th & Boston
The Gun shop (next to Thrashers carburetors on Admiral)
21st st. Gun shop (across from sears)
Tulsa firearms (11th & Sheridan)
Sportsworld (newly opened at 58th&Lewis)
There was a pawnshop about 3rd and Cincinnati/Detroit that did smithing
I opened my place in 1980 and this was still basically all.
Then Spartan school of Aeronautics opened a gunsmith school and dumped 100 or so gunsmith students into the Tulsa area.
Steve Vanaidis (the Greek) first burst onto the scene Big at 21st and Sheridan @ Howard Gibbles "Gibbles Great Outdoors" then, opened at 11th & Harvard, then Admiral and Harvard
Joe Mac Cool graduated from Spartan. Joe first opened at Tulsa reloading/ Tulsa shooters supply on 31st
then moved to current location on southside of 31st.
Nowlin was from Claremore and was unknown till late 80's

I was hoping you’d chime in. Do you know who the ‘smith was at D&B? If I remember right, he might have done some early work for Bill Wilson.

I remember going to the D&B shop at 18th & Boston when I was either in elementary or middle school. It wasn’t very long before they moved out to 61st and Sheridan.

 

[HiredHand]

Your pistol looks a lot like a pistol a buddy had years ago. His was built by Steve Vanaidis a.k.a. The Greek. Though I don’t know if The Greek was ever associated with D & B.

Yeah, it does. But the owner doesn’t believe that is and another 1911 aficionado also think it’s The Greek’s work either.

Oh, the current owner is interesting in selling it. But I’m just curious about who might have built it.

 

[Hooper]

I probably seen that same slide on 1911 Addict's, no one there could come up with any thing close.
They have around 40,000 members Nation wide, some claim foreign locations.
Amazing you guy's have nailed down the location of the shop. If I remember right they did not get close to any good info.
Cool Stuff

Edit: The frame is quite interesting also.

 

[WoodsCraft]

I owned a custom 1911 built the same way as that one for many years . I also had a Caspian built in a similar fashion as well. A fine carry gun is to be had in that configuration.

 

[mr ed]

I was hoping you’d chime in. Do you know who the ‘smith was at D&B? If I remember right, he might have done some early work for Bill Wilson.

I remember going to the D&B shop at 18th & Boston when I was either in elementary or middle school. It wasn’t very long before they moved out to 61st and Sheridan.

The guys that ran D&B were old and I think it was their kids that Took it over and moved it to 61st & Sheridan and called it D&B Outfitters
The youngsters were more interested in Hiking, camping and canoeing.
I used to know their names but that was 45 years ago.
I wanna say one of the kids was named "Butch"

 

[HiredHand]

The guys that ran D&B were old and I think it was their kids that Took it over and moved it to 61st & Sheridan and called it D&B Outfitters
The youngsters were more interested in Hiking, camping and canoeing.
I used to know their names but that was 45 years ago.
I wanna say one of the kids was named "Butch"

Okay, that’s great to know that they are likely connected. There’s still a phone number for D&B Outfitters listed. It might be a dead end, but I’ll try giving it a call. Thank you for your help.

I probably seen that same slide on 1911 Addict's, no one there could come up with any thing close.
They have around 40,000 members Nation wide, some claim foreign locations.
Amazing you guy's have nailed down the location of the shop. If I remember right they did not get close to any good info.
Cool Stuff

Edit: The frame is quite interesting also.

Yes, I’m sure that he did post it up on 1911Addicts.


And as a side note: lots of copying happened in the custom 1911 world, or guys left one shop, started their own shop, and turned out similar work, or in some cases gunsmith’s paid other ‘smiths to do some particular operation/customization that they couldn’t do for whatever reason.

 

[TerryP]

That’s a really nice old school 1911.
I like the two tone pistols.
What is the metal finish on the frame?

 

[Hooper]

That’s a really nice old school 1911.
I like the two tone pistols.
What is the metal finish on the frame?

That is an interesting frame, best looking square trigger guard, in my opinion. Still round on inside, like your fingers, with a round front on the guard for solid grip, yet it is square for a good holster fit.
It resembles my Sig 226 trigger guard, but tweaked a little better on shape. The arched MSH just looks like it would blend into a hand, very well without a death grip, comfortable.
I'm not big on the sight style for a carry, but I bet you could drive nails for target practice with that setup.

 

[offrdmania]

Greetings! I was the owner of the gun and I wanted to post all of the pictures. It has been a journey trying to track down the builder. This thread has surpassed any information I have received from some of the biggest minds in the vintage custom 1911 collector world. I had posted the gun on another board and it was recently passed on to a new home. I sent a link to this thread to the new owner and encouraged him to join.
Thank you for all of the knowledge so far, you guys are great!

 

[WoodsCraft]

That frame is a re profiled GI frame you can see the GI proof on the trigger guard on the other side is the triangle with VP

Interestingly the serial is a combat commander serial number though 1970 ish but it still has GI proofs